Essendon has appointed former player Paul Thomas as an assistant coach under new senior coach Mark McVeigh for 2027, the club announced.
Essendon said Thomas returns after a SANFL career with Central District (269 games and the 2004 Magarey Medal). He was rookie-listed by Adelaide in 2002, drafted by the Bombers in 2004 and played eight AFL games in 2005, debuting alongside McVeigh. He later spent four years in coaching roles at Adelaide from 2015.
Zero Hanger carried the same announcement and quotes on Tuesday morning.
Read more: Essendon Poaches Daniel Pratt From Western Bulldogs
Thomas on the move
“I played alongside Mark at Essendon, so it’s special to be coming back to the Club and helping him build the program he has in mind,” Thomas said.
“I love working with young players and helping them develop, and I’m excited by the opportunity to return to the AFL system at a club with such a proud history and a talented young list.”
“I’ve got a strong relationship with Dyson Sharp, and I’m looking forward to working with him again, as well as getting to know the rest of the playing group and the players who join us through this year’s draft.”
Coaching group
Thomas joins McVeigh’s 2027 football department alongside Daniel Pratt, Brent Prismall, Shane Mumford, Brent Stanton and general manager of football performance John Longmire, according to the club coverage.
Longmire said: “Paul has a terrific background in teaching and coaching, and a real passion for helping young players learn and improve,”
“Having also led his own program as a senior coach, he understands what it takes to bring people together and build a strong football environment. We’re focused on building an environment that gives our players the best opportunity to develop, and Paul will play an important role in that as we continue to build under Mark.”
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